Dry Run
Sneak Attack Continued from Gathering Forces Section ''--Picking Up the Pieces--'' Post#103 Darrel Mytura - Desert Fairy Fountain - Night One "I accept. What's going to be the signal to move in?" Darrel pursed his lips, thinking about that for a moment. It was a good question, and one he hadn't thought on. Jaden was already making his approach, so they needed to move quickly. The answer presented itself to him suddenly as he cast his eyes around the fountain's interior. Normally a place of mystical light and energy, it more resembled a store room or warehouse in its present state, stacked with the stolen salvage from their raids on the Twili supply caravans. And sitting there atop a crate, wholly unremarkable, was a Twili signal horn. Darrel took it up, turned it over a few times in his hands, and then nodded to himself. It would do nicely. He turned back to meet Henreth's eyes. "This horn will be our signal. It is of Twili origin, used to pass signals over distance, so not only will it allow us to do the same, but it will create even greater confusion amongst their ranks when they hear it. I will blow it in three short bursts. When you hear that, bring your squad in on your side and hit the camp hard. I'll come in from the opposite end and we'll smash them between us." Desert Staging Area - Night One Darrel crouched behind a rock formation jutting from the slop of a sand dune overlooking the Twili camp. Off in the distance to the east he could see flashes of light and he could feel the spirits of men. They burned with fervor and desperation. And they were rapidly shrinking in number. It had begun. The Twili had begun to make their move into Hyrule proper, and he was way too late. All that they could do, before rushing to join the battle, was finish this business before them and keep the odds from turning more steeply in favor of the enemy. Somewhere below, Jaden and his Sheikah were moving like a black wind amongst the enemy, engaging in the worst sort of butchery. Killing officers in their beds, or as they hunched over the latrine. Removing the head of the serpent. At his back, members of the Knight's Sword gathered. They'd been waiting for this, anticipating the strike. They hated the Twili for their barbarism, and for making such barbarism necessary in turn. Darrel, not in the mood for some sort of motivational speech, and feeling that such things were not needed this night, raised the horn to his lips with his left hand as he hefted Morning's Edge in his right, and blew three high, clear blasts into the night. Then he dropped the horn into the sand, and as one his team began to sprint down the slope toward the Twili picket lines, intent on destruction. Jaden/Twili Desert Encampment/Night 1 Wetwork. It was Unit Zero's trademark, and one of his most favorite operations to run. There was no greater insult than not being able to respond to an instant killing strike. Sure, open field battles and other tactical situatons excited him too. But he had a special, sadistic way of opening up a synchronized elimination. As the group moved silently across the desert sands from the fountain, they could feel the chill of night air. The sky was clear, but the moon was full. Stars were slightly hidden by such incandescence. However, the group had to rely on sticking to the right dune patterns. The encampment came into view, and it was not as well guarded as it could have been. Of three entrances, two had posts. One had a solitary guard in the rear, and he had dozed off. It was then that Unit Zero spread amongst the tents and dimming fires as a shroud of death. They canvassed for targets of importance and high value. Inventory was estimated. And they paid close attention to patrol patterns. The Twili truly did not anticipate the Hylians even coming out here, yet armaments and provisions were kept! Jaden found two officers talking by a campfire. They both had drinks, coffee by the scent of it. He overheard a little of their conversation, and they mentioned the same Baron, Ryssdal. And how he was going to take Lake Hylia, and if that were successful, the last bastion standing would also be ripe to eradicate. As they were chatting, Jaden slipped a fast-acting laxative into one of the men's drinks. He had advised his squad that the signal was when one went off to the loo. They had to stay awake. They had to drink. After getting close enough to get the Smooth Move Powder in, he also picked the officer's pocket, finding a small corked vial. Retreating behind a decently sized rock, he waited, and it didn't take too long before he heard the elder man of the two complain of intestinal discomfort. Jaden grinned, and started to shudder with anticipation. How would he dispatch this one? Open air latrines. Really? That eliminated many options for him. He needed an instant kill, so he opted to use his misericorde. It was modified so that he could ram it right into the temple, the base of the skull, or the back of the mouth. No screams. Somewhat disappointing. As the officer dropped his trousers and squatted, Jaden crouched and slowly crept up on his prey. Humiliation before death was one of his preferred ways to assassinate others. This was no exception. Winding up, he buried the thin blade to the hilt right at skull's base. As soon as Unit Zero heard the first kill, they slit throats, slashed hearts, severed heads, cleaved skulls clean in two, and otherwise ensured leadership elimination. It was at that time Jaden heard the horn in the distance. He had a feeling it was Darrel's marines. Henreth wouldn't be far behind either. But then there were bright flashes of light in the cloud free sky...they were violet, strobe, and many. It had to be Kae. But he couldn't dwell on that. As Twili troops emerged from their slumber in a panic, some turned on each other. Jaden was happy to use that to his advantage and insert his own mayhem into their misfortune. Henreth - Twili Desert Encampment - Night One He brought the five men into position, the western side of the encampment. From what he was able to see, it only had 3 proper entrances, all of which seemed to be inadequately guarded. He turned towards the others. "Even if the place seems small, try to memorize pathways and locations." The less time he and the others had to spend finding their way in the middle of a fight, the higher their chances of survival. the group of small tents bundled toghether can be assumed to be the equivalent of a barracks, where all the Twili soldiers would be sleeping. The larger tents might be for storage, not an immediate concern. After a few short minutes of close listening, he heard the unpleasant sound of blades meeting flesh and bone. It was short-lived, and he had little, if any, time to think before his ears met with the faint sound of a horn. He saw the Twili starting to wake up, and instantly distracting themselves with each other. This was the best opportunity to start the attack. "Let's go." He quickly ordered the men as he moved forward. Going around to the nearest entrance would take to long, and climbing the fence also seemed impractical, if only because it might leave them vulnerable to attacks. Thinking quick, Henreth raised his sword, charged it, and sent a vertical beam strike towards the nearest fence post. It shattered like a fragile vase, leaving a hole just large enough for them to fit through one at a time. If the others were surprised or shocked, they didn't show it, and/or he didn't see it. Henreth was the first through, making sure it was safe. As the last person made it in, it was just in time, as a few Twili began rushing them. On any other day, they probably would've been evenly matched, but the Twili's panicked state made them sloppy. Everyone picked an enemy and fought. It didn't last long, any mistake the Twili eventually made were punished with fatal damage to the head or heart. They fought their way through the camp, killing every enemy they came across. Between the lack of orders from the dead captains, and the resulting chaos from a sneak attack, this wasn't much if a fight, it was practically a slaughter. Horus/Great Fairy Fountain-Twili Desert Encampment/Night 1 The air was filled with the calming scent of crystal clear and clean spring water, with the hint of holy magic complimenting the atmosphere. Horus, kneeling to the Fountain, took the time to take in the breathtaking beauty of the architecture and magical glow inside the cave; As if it was crafted and chiseled by the Goddess’s hands themselves. Considering the nature of most Fairy Fountains, this was a very real possibility as far the Rito was concerned. Horus bowed down to the ground as the corporeal form of the Fairy appeared before him, humbling him in her vastness and grace. It was only when she opened her eyes to look down upon him did he dare to break the silence. “Dear Fairy of the endless deserted sands…Though I bear the mark of the Light Warrior as my friends do, I fear I am no longer spiritually worthy of this blessing.’ The Fairy’s perfect face creased ever so slightly as she furrowed her brow. ‘…I am tainted, though I fight for the sake of my fellow man my mind and soul is a hurricane of madness. I see and hear things that are not of my surroundings, my dreams are filled with imagery of murder and pain…’ Horus hesitated as he watched the Fairy fold her arms in disappointment, knowing what he was to say next. ‘…And I wake up feeling…Happy, as if the act of murder alone is what I crave; A fact I know to be wrong. I hate killing; it sickens me that my hands are so stained…Yet these visions of suffering and loss…They…” He gestured with his hands the motions necessary to break a neck before tightly closing them. “…They are…Evil. The desire to kill the innocent is not my own, even though it fills my thoughts every night.” He bowed his head so low, his forehead was chilled by the tile floor. “Please, Great Fairy of The Sands…I beg of you…Salvation from myself…I know your gifts and aid to be exclusive to those worthy of it. I’ve read the stories of the legendary hero and how you help him and him alone in time of need…But please…Just this once…Help a lesser man purge the demon that haunts him in the night.” The Fairy though silent, visibly sighed before giving a solemn shake of her head. I cannot directly give you the aid you desire, young one…But I will enable your cause, so you may manage the deed yourself… Her movements graceful and slow, the Fairy rose to her feet and clapped her hands together after performing a pirouette. Pulling her hands away from each other, a flash of light erupted from her palms before forming into the shape of an arrow. Its design resembled the arrows Horus’ race would craft back home, only it was imbued with magic far stronger than his own arrows and glowed a radiant and beautiful gold tint. She gently let it fall as it slowly fluttered down to Horus’ waiting hands as he continued his bow. He gripped it tightly, feeling its power surged through him, sending a tingling feeling from through his fingers down to his toes. His eyes snapped open as the arrow’s magic reached him spiritually, momentarily thrusting him into his own mindscape. The sprawling web of consciousness’ that made his mind began to glimmer before suddenly fading, leaving a single strand glowing. As if coming from the strand itself, he could hear what seemed to be the sound of a child having a conversation whilst surrounded by a cacophony of rattling bones. It was now obvious to him that this was the source of his trouble. Though it troubled him deeply that this arrow was meant for a child, he silently accepted the necessity of the boy’s end. All that was left now was to find him…Horus wordlessly thanked the Fairy as it faded away once more as he rose to his feet. Taking one more look at the brilliant and beautiful arrow, he sighed heavily realizing how much time had passed. He was dreadfully late to joining his friends, whom had an errand of much importance; He was their sniper. Hesitating no longer, the Rito turned to leave the cave, his mind clearer than it had been in months. Knowing where his mission was meant to lead him, he took a glance at the war that raged down at the lake as he took flight before dashing off into the freezing night. His feet gently touched down onto a boulder near the Twili encampment as he squinted his eagle-like eyes to see in the night. It seemed that Jaden and his men were already having their fun, as the initial kills of the operation had caused fear and confusion among the remaining soldiers. There were many of them as they spilled from their tents, easily outnumbering Jaden and his men, but in the mixture of panicked disorganization and the dark of the night it mattered little. He was able to easily identify friends from foes as he grabbed his bow and began to fire his light arrows into the madness, picking off stragglers and Twili that Jaden’s squad had yet to notice or were too busy to attack immediately. It was times like this that he felt pity for the enemy; despite their winning stance in the war, few had a chance in hell when Light Warriors were involved. __FORCETOC__